Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Rangers beat Devils, roster cuts, my take on the upcoming roster decisions

October 2, 2022, 10:23 PM ET [60 Comments]
Jan Levine
New York Rangers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Rangers completed the first portion of the exhibition season with a 2-1 win over the Devils on Friday. Goals by Artemi Panarin, in his first exhibition game of the season, and K'Andre Miller provided just enough of a margin to earn the victory. Saturday, New York reduced their roster by five more players to get down to 28 and kicked off their team bonding trip.

Game recap:


Jimmy Vesey had another solid game, making a huge defensive play late to enable the Rangers to eke out the win. Panarin had a short side snipe while Miller's shot pin-balled into the net, Jaroslav Halak stopped all 15 shots he faced.



Roster cuts/moves:
None of the five sent down came as a big surprise. Will Cuylle has had an okay camp but didn't show enough to force the team to keep him around. He and Lauri Pajuniemi could see some time with the parent club later this season. Tim Gettinger has been up and down in the past and will again be a depth forward, promoted when needed. Ty Emberson and Andy Welinski are depth blueliners but Emberson has a smidge of upside,

Louis Domingue, put on waivers Saturday for the purpose of being sent down, passed through and was optioned down Sunday. He should see most of the playing time in Hartford and is next in line if anything happens to either Igor Shesterkin or Halak. Domingue is a decent veteran netminder who can provide some stability in net if the situation arises.





Brennan Othmann sure didn't let the disappointment of not making the Rangers impact his play. After scoring 50 goals last season, Othmann picked up from right where he left off, scoring in his first game for Flint. Another monster season is likely in the cards from the winger.



Possible lines and defensive combinations:
Sammy Blais received the first chance to skate with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. While that experiment is not over, the myriad of fourth line options allows coach Gerard Gallant to try Barclay Goodrow, who has yet to play this preseason, on the top line. Of the bottom trio options available, Goodrow likely has the most skill and gives that line an interesting look. I would prefer an even more skilled option, but Gallant seems reluctant to break up the Kid Line or try Vitali Kravtsov on that trio, at least for now.

Eight players for four, maybe five, spots. Blais - Hunt - Carpenter - Reaves- Vesey - Brodzinski - Rydahl - Gauthier all remain in the mix. Carrying 22 players would leave the Rangers with close to $1 million in salary cap space, whereas a full 23 would push them uncomfortably close to the $82.5 million cap threshold. Since each dollar available multiplies as the year wears on, providing additional camp space, many of the decisions could be determined with the cap impact in mind.

Vesey, in camp on a PTO, deserves one of the spots. He has been one of the team's best players in the exhibition games. He has notched a goal, two assists and seven scoring chances through three preseason games, on top of reliable defensive play at even strength and on the PK. His ability to kill penalties should give him an edge on the competition and because of this, hard decisions will need to be made. The only locks from the eight players below is that Jonny Brodzinski will be sent down and Blais will break camp with the team.

Julian Gauthier, with a $800K cap hit, has had a really good camp and been solid in the preseason games. But the issues that have plagued him in the past - an inability to finish - have been on full display again. Gauthier would need to be exposed to waivers to be sent down, which is why he could break camp with the team, but other moves will need to occur for that to happen.

Ryan Reaves is making $1.75 million this season. He is one of Gallant's favorites, given their past history, and also can change the tone and tenor of a game, positively and negatively when on the ice. I felt when he was given the extension after being acquired that it was premature and unnecessary and still feel the same way now. My guess is that he is one of the 22 or 23 on the roster, but wouldn't be shocked if a move occurred, though that would be a long shot.

Ryan Carpenter (750K) was signed as a possible fourth line center, He hasn't done anything to specifically lose that spot, nor has he done enough yet to be a certainty on the parent club roster. His past history with Gallant could give him an edge when a decision is made.

If Vesey is on the Opening Night roster, his ability to play on the PK hurts Carpenter's chances. Pushing Carpenter is Gustav Rydahl, signed this offseason and who spent the previous nine seasons playing in the Swedish Hockey League. Rydahl is a better possible scorer, bigger (6-foot-3, 209 pounds) and faster than Carpenter, but he's also waivers exempt. That means the Rangers can send him to Hartford without fear of another team claiming him, which is not the case with Carpenter.

Dryden Hunt (762,500 salary) is similar in nature to Blais and Vesey. The last roster spot could come down to two of the three, depending on if New York goes with 13 or 14 forwards. Vesey has earned the spot, to me, Hunt has not, Look for this to come down to the last pre-season game.



What is interesting about the below is the third pairing. It's what we all have been clamoring for a while to see, Jones and Schneider. The two have played together this preseason, with Jones, a third-round pick in 2019, getting better and better as camp has continued. Jones made a strong play to deny Jesper Bratt 1-on-1 Friday and he credited his improved strength to him not being pushed around as easily as he had been in the past.

Matt Bartkowski, Libor Hájek and Jarred Tinordi are the only other roster-bubble defensemen left in camp. Figure the Rangers will eventually cut two of them, with Hájek the favorite to stick as an extra, partially since he would have to be exposed to waivers to be sent down. Unsure what they have seen in him, but Hajek looks like a lock for the 7th d-man spot.



As a reminder, I am out of pocket Tuesday late-afternoon to Wednesday evening. Then, the two subsequent weeks, I will be unavailable Sunday night to Tuesday night for the remainder of the Jewish holidays. This info will be posted at the bottom of almost every blog over the next few weeks so that everyone remains in the loop.

Join the Discussion: » 60 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Jan Levine
» Rangers clinch playoff berth with barn burner 6-5 OT win over the Flyers
» Rangers face Flyers with chance to clinch playoff berth
» Rangers rally twice to defeat Panthers 4-3 in a shootout
» Rangers ride hat trick from Panarin and play of Quick to 5-2 win over B’s
» Rangers face Bruins on the road, Rempe back in lineup